


Electric

by Lady_Ganesh



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/F, Kissing, Let's Make Out Ficathon, Rule 63
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-19
Updated: 2014-03-19
Packaged: 2018-01-16 06:34:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1335616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Ganesh/pseuds/Lady_Ganesh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thora and Stephanie catch up, after the events of "The Avengers" but before the Cap and Thor sequels. I'm kind of ignoring Jane for the purposes of this fic, sorry Jane!</p><p>Inspired by the prompt "if people were rain, i was drizzle and she was a hurricane."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Electric

"So," Stephanie said. "Your sister." Might as well get the awkward stuff out of the way, right? It was that or _so, how's outer space doing?_

"She's in a prison cell," Thora said. "In Asgard." She sighed. "I wish...I wish things were different."

"Yeah, I think we all do." That was an understatement. "So, um," Stephanie said. "How long are you planning on staying this time?"

"I am unsure." Thora took another big bite of her meal. She hadn't been taught to be ladylike the way Stephanie had been, that was for sure. Stephanie was willing to bet she'd never had a single lesson in keeping her ankles together. She didn't even look too weird in the booth, though it'd taken her some difficulty to get in there.

Janet and Peggy would have loved her. Stephanie swallowed that thought and kept eating, trying not to watch Thora's mouth when she licked the sauce off her fingers.

"I am glad you chose to meet me here." 

Stephanie nodded. The schwarma place seemed like the right choice. Casual, quiet enough, and just a little bit familiar. She'd seen to it herself it was properly rebuilt after the invasion. Seemed like the least she could do to say thank you.

Thora seemed to feel the same way. She'd scanned the little shop with obvious delight at its bright, pleasant condition. Of course, she'd grown up a princess, she'd have some sense of _noblesse oblige._ It never seemed like any generosity was an obligation for Thora, though. She seemed to be just that giving with her heart and spirit.

"And this music," she continued, pushing her wavy blonde hair from her eyes. "I like it. Do you know it?"

Stephanie shook her head. It was something electronic and pulsing. "After my time, I guess."

Thora pressed her lips together. "Sometimes I think I am less unsettled in this world than you are, and you were born in this city, were you not?"

"I was, but so much changed without me. And not all of it for the better." Stark Tower came to mind. Efficient, perfect, ugly Stark Tower.

"I would like to see it. The city that you knew. Much of it is left, is it not?"

"Well, some of it, yeah." The buildings, mostly, but she could still buy brushes at New York Central and Macy's still had one of the wooden escalators she and Janet used to ride when they couldn't afford any other entertainment. And the art at the Metropolitan Museum might have changed but there was still no place she'd rather be in the city. "You really want to--"

"I believe you have much to teach me, Stephanie Rogers. No one knows the lore of this city as well as you do."

"Well," she said. "I don't know about that, but okay."

When they stepped out onto the sidewalk, Thora's size hit Stephanie all over again. Before the serum, Thora probably could've crushed Stephanie in her hand. Now she was just...bigger, stronger, more powerful. Thora might have once fought in Norway, but she looked like an Amazon to Stephanie's eyes. Stephanie had been amazed at her own power and strength after the change, but it was nothing compared to Thora's muscular arms, to the lightning brought down by Mjolnir. It was like standing next to a hurricane; no breeze you could muster would match it.

"Your mind wanders, Stephanie Rogers."

Stephanie smiled in spite of herself. "A little."

"Where should we start?"

"Do you like art?" Thora seemed more the athletic type, but it was worth a try.

"I am a great admirer of it. Though I confess, I am sometimes confused by the 'modern' art I see."

"Well, um, I could try to explain some of it. If you think that'd help. I mean, things have changed since I was working but I guess I could say I was around for a lot of the groundwork, so--"

"That would be delightful," Thora said, and really seemed to mean it.

The subway was crowded, and they had to squeeze in close. Stephanie tried not to think about how warm Thora felt next to her, about the jealous glance a dark-haired girl threw their way on the C train.

They spent most of the afternoon at the Museum. Thora got engrossed in a traveling exhibition of Norse art, but Stephanie enjoyed it too, and they took a long time talking over how Thora's culture had obviously influenced artwork here on Earth. Thora kept putting her hand on Stephanie's shoulder, on her arm, pointing things out, encouraging her to take a second look at something, asking questions. Stephanie tried to ignore the little thrill that went through her every time it happened.

"How far is your apartment from here?" Thora asked. "Darcy keeps telling me I should try 'take out pizza.' It would be good to enjoy with a friend."

"It's...it's not too bad, if you don't mind the subway again."

"I enjoy the subway," Thora said. "It is good to see all the different people in your land and hear their different tongues."

"Yeah, okay," Stephanie said. It actually did feel a little more like her land these days. Especially with Thora around. Sharing the world with her made everything a little more comfortable, more familiar.

It was only when they were headed up the stairs that Stephanie realized _they were headed back to her apartment._

Thora sensed her sudden tension and put a hand on her shoulder, which had the opposite effect of what she had intended, Stephanie was sure. "Thank you," Thora said. "I much appreciate this time."

"Hey, I'm glad to hang out with you," Stephanie said, trying to ignore how her stomach was knotting. "Any time."

Thora looked almost amused. "I hope you mean that, Stephanie Rogers."

Stephanie felt the grin spread on her face. "Yeah?"

"So where should we order our pizza from? Is pepperoni really the best topping?"

"Yeah, probably. I like mushrooms, too, you like mushrooms?"

 

It was easy, talking with Thora. Even when Stephanie got hung up on Thora's big hands or the way her blue eyes looked under her long lashes, Thora was so friendly and open. Laid-back. And her enthusiasm sure was contagious. They'd settled on pepperoni and mushrooms, and it was a good thing Big Papi's was running a two-for-one deal, because there was only one slice left when they were done. "Your Midgardian mead is delicious," Thora said, halfway through her second bottle.

"It's a lot different than what I grew up with. But yeah, it's good."

Thora got up from the table and walked over to Stephanie's tiny couch. "Come," she commanded, patting the cushion. "Tell me of the beers of your youth."

Stephanie's heart was pounding, but she did. "Well," she said. "Ladies weren't supposed to drink too much back in my day, but of course a lot of us snuck drinks anyway. I had this friend, and she used to get me in...."

She hadn't talked with anyone about Janet since she came back, and the words spilled out: How much taller, faster, prettier Janet always had been, how good she was with the boys, how Stephanie had always been the 'nice' friend, not the 'swell' one. But then the serum came and everything had changed, but Janet, Janet didn't change at all, still loved her, had been with her right until worst of it, when Stephanie had lost her that second, final, heartbreaking time. 

By then Thora's arm was wrapped around her waist.

"There is one thing I refuse to believe about your story," Thora said, when Stephanie had finally gotten through it all. 

Stephanie's heart was aching, but it was a better ache than he'd felt about Janet for a long time. It felt good, telling it to someone she trusted. "Yeah?" she asked, through her sorrow. "What's that?"

"I refuse to believe you were anything less than beautiful," Thora said. "And I think your Janet knew that."

"Jeez," Stephanie said, feeling her face heat as she turned to Thora, "I can't--"

Thora pressed her lips to Stephanie's, and Stephanie felt her whole body shake as she let go of the pain, the tension, as Thora's warmth filled her and Thora pulled her closer. A crack of thunder split the air as Stephanie's arms wrapped around Thora.

She broke the kiss. "Wait," she said, trying to catch her breath. "Was that you?"

Thora just winked. "If you would like to see electricity," she said, "all you need to do is ask."

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't quite get away with calling a girl "Bucky" so James Barnes got turned to Janet. (I couldn't have two Janes. I mean, I could, but even I would start getting confused.)


End file.
